Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority Receives Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Commendation at National Quality Management Competition

Praised for ESG Integration, Strategic Execution, and Organizational Culture Expansion

Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority (Acting President Hwang Hakbeom, hereinafter referred to as the Authority) announced on the 19th that it received the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Commendation (National Quality Special Award in the Sustainable Management category) at the 51st National Quality Management Competition, which was hosted by the National Institute of Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and organized by the Korean Standards Association.

This year, the Authority achieved the distinction of being the only organization under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to be selected, receiving high overall evaluations in the merit-based group assessment.

Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority received the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Commendation at the 51st National Quality Management Competition. Photo by Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority

The panel of judges highly praised the Authority for establishing ESG as a core organizational strategy under the action-oriented leadership of its top management, for operating a dedicated ESG management team, and for regularly reviewing strategies to shift ESG management from a declaration to a practice-oriented system. Concrete achievements such as the publication of a sustainability report and expanded cooperation with the local community were recognized as exemplary cases of ESG integration.

The board of directors was also highlighted as a major strength of the Authority. Composed of experts in finance, logistics, operations, and policy, the board was evaluated as having played a responsible advisory and supervisory role in key agendas such as approving ESG policies and declaring ethical management.

Furthermore, the identification of stakeholder-based issues, scientific materiality assessments, and the establishment of a performance management system linking KPIs in line with international disclosure standards (GRI and K-ESG) were cited as factors that enhanced the effectiveness of the Authority's strategies.

In addition, the Authority secured financial stability by establishing a dedicated team for expo site operations and utilizing idle assets, while also achieving systematic risk management in non-financial areas such as conducting human rights impact assessments, strengthening safety and health management, and improving the maturity of labor-management relations. Organization-wide activities such as operating ESG Management Practice Week and holding a slogan contest, which fostered a culture of broad participation, were also praised for contributing to the everyday adoption of ESG values.

Acting President Hwang Hakbeom stated, "This Ministerial Commendation from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is the result of the efforts of all our members to establish a sustainable management system," adding, "We will use this as an opportunity to further advance our ESG management and strive even harder to create a sustainable future for our port and strengthen our public value."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.